The invention relates to a medical suction system used in the collection of fluids such as from a patient during a surgical procedure.
Medical suction systems are used in hospital environments and particularly during various surgical procedures to drain bodily fluid from a patient. In general, medical suction systems employ a collection or suction canister and a vacuum source which enables bodily fluid to be drained from the patient. Each canister generally includes a receptacle for holding the bodily fluid, a lid with a suction port and a patient port, a suction conduit connecting the suction port to a hospital vacuum system, and a patient conduit for conveying the bodily fluid from the patient into the receptacle through the patient port. When the vacuum is applied to the suction conduit, a negative pressure gradient is created in the interior of the receptacle so that the bodily fluid is drawn from the patient and into the suction canister via the patient conduit. In order to prevent the bodily fluid from entering and contaminating the hospital vacuum system, a shutoff valve is normally used to close or block the suction port when the fluid within the canister rises to a predetermined level.
Conventional suction canisters are often disposable, which leads to increased hospital costs for the purchase of new canisters and increased hospital costs for the disposal of the canisters and their bodily fluid contents after use. Suction canisters can also be reusable. However, such reusable canisters must be cleaned by hospital employees, and the bodily fluid collected in suction canisters is considered hazardous and infectious waste. In recent years, it has become important in hospital environments to eliminate the handling and thus reduce employee exposure to bodily fluids. Currently, hospitals dispose of such bodily fluid in three ways. The fluid is either poured from the suction canister down the hospital sink, the fluid is incinerated in a hospital-owned and operated pathological incinerator, or expensive contracts are negotiated with a licensed hauler for the disposal of the fluid at an approved hazardous waste incinerator. In every case, hospital employees have to handle the bodily fluid. Spattering of the bodily fluid can result in hospital employees contacting the hazardous fluid and thus increasing the possibility of contacting HIV, Hepatitis B or other blood borne diseases.
The invention provides a cover for an opening in a suction canister receptacle used in draining bodily fluid from a patient. The cover includes a main body for substantially covering the opening in the receptacle. The main body defines a suction port and a suction passageway for connection to a vacuum source, a patient port for communication with the patient, and a cleaning port. The cover also includes means for dispensing a cleaning agent into the canister in response to the introduction of cleaning fluid into the cleaning port, for opening the patient port in response to opening of the suction port, for closing the patient port in response to closing of the suction port, and treatment means for introducing a chemical treatment into the interior of the receptacle in response to opening of the patient port.
The invention also provides a cleaning station which includes means for automatically draining and cleaning the suction canister. The cleaning station includes upper and lower housings with the lower housing supporting the suction canister. The upper housing includes first and second cleaning probes which are inserted into the suction canister in response to downward movement of the upper housing. The first probe is inserted into the suction passageway and the second probe is inserted into the cleaning port. The probes in cooperation with the cover introduce a cleaning fluid and a cleaning agent into the suction canister and drain the suction canister of bodily fluid and cleaning fluid.
The invention also provides means for automatically providing a visible indication that the canister has been cleaned. The means includes a seal that is broken and a portion of the cover that is punched out, both by insertion of the probes into the cover when the suction canister is drained and cleaned.
It is one object of the invention to provide a medical suction system that includes reusable suction canister receptacles.
It is another object of the invention to provide a medical suction system that includes disposable covers for the reusable suction canister receptacles.
It is another object of the invention to provide a medical suction system in which the disposable covers include a moveable cartridge.
It is another object of the invention to provide a suction canister in which the patient port is opened when the suction port is opened and is closed when the suction port is closed.
It is another object of the invention to provide a medical suction system that filters the air being drawn into a vacuum source to prevent contamination of the vacuum source.
It is another object of the invention to provide a medical suction system that introduces a chemical treatment into a suction canister when the suction canister is connected to a vacuum source.
It is another object of the invention to provide a medical suction system that includes a cleaning station which drains and disposes of the bodily fluid held in a suction canister and then cleans the canister without hospital personnel contacting the bodily fluid held therein.
It is another object of the invention to provide a medical suction system that utilizes a cleaning instrument to drain and clean a suction canister.
It is another object of the invention to provide a medical suction system that provides a visible indication that a suction canister receptacle has been drained and cleaned.
It is another object of the invention to provide a medical suction system that dispenses a cleaning agent into a suction canister in response to the introduction of a cleaning fluid into the canister.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following detailed description, claims, and drawings.